(Ping! Zine Web Hosting Magazine) – Data center powering techniques remain central to operating an energy efficient facility. On Wednesday, tech giant Microsoft discussed a concept called a “Data Plant” that would fuse together a data center facility to a power plant to provide for operation.

In a blog post, Microsoft GM of Data Center Services Christian Belady stated that the idea “opens up a host of options for a data center operations team, allowing it to target clean, sustainable, cost effective, and reliable fuel.”

Belady also said that the concept worked by allowing the facility to be “integrated with the grid for back-up, or in an island mode to facilitate locations that are not near large transmission lines.”

However, what may be most interesting about the Data Plant concept is the particular type of component it relies on. Enter biogas, a fuel the company says is obtainable through water treatment plants (which include sewage) and landfills. In addition to the above, Microsoft discussed creating a simplified design while emphasizing its goal to operate as a “leader in environmental responsibility.”

Just earlier this week, environmental awareness organization Greenpeace released a study on efficiency standards at data centers by top tech providers including Microsoft, Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon.

In the categories of transparency, energy efficiency, GHG mitigation and renewable energy investment and advocacy, Microsoft received a grade of “C” from Greenpeace. Meanwhile, the company received a less than average grade in infrastructure siting (where it received a “D”). Greenpeace emphasized that Microsoft “must include the prioritization of installed and purchased renewable energy from the grid” in the company’s data center plans. For more information regarding Microsoft’s Data Plant concept, view a blog post here (globalfoundationservices.com).